[Mintwood-place] Brown stuff on top of all the red stuff

[John Cloud]

Mintwoodists and fellow travellers:

As one can't have attachments on a mintwood list posting, the 3 attachments referred to in this text sent to ANC Commissioners Otten and Weaver aren't there.  But the email with attachments was cc'ed to most of the Usual Suspects, so you might see them through them if you want.

May 12, 2010

Commissioners Otten and Weaver:

Well, they have been working away on that Anti-Erosion Project in
Kalorama Park!  Wow!.  For the first time in many months, it looks like
they brought in some actually soil!  At least it's brown, and it
appears to cover the entire exposed area of the playing field.
(attachment 1)

Wow!  Maybe that ANC non-confrontational "win-win" stuff actually works with DPR!

Not so fast...

It was the work of mere minutes with Dr. Cloud's Magic Shovel (no
relation to Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap) to reveal a very old pattern.
(attachment 2)  What DPR and the contractors did was to methodically
cover the many feet of compacted construction debris and Mitchell park
spoils with a thin veneer of soil mixed with considerable small rocks. 
Everything now looks "brown".  But underneath, there is still every
last molecule of the "red stuff" from Mitchell Park (attachment 3). 

"But wait!" I hear y'all cry. " Our new "Q and A" says all kinds of
stuff about contract specs for "soil" and "fill" and whatnot.  And
inspections, and dirt screens, etc.  Real-life adult stuff", you say!

Yes, but the time for "inspections" is long gone, Commissioners.  The
real reason DPR has been "working on" my FOIA request for project
documents, which hasn't revealed a single piece of paper since
September, 2009, is that such documents, if actually disclosed, would
reveal the invoices and payment forms that would show that DPR ALREADY
PAID THE CONTRACTORS FOR ALL THAT RED STUFF.  

Or maybe you can prove me wrong.  Commissioner Otten: you don't like it
that DPR doesn't keep ANC-1C informed about the project.  I would
suggest that ANC-1C file its own FOIA request for the fundamental
paperwork on the Anti-Erosion Project.  Will DPR blow you off too?  Or
will the basic public documents for a public project squandering public
funds in a public park finally be revealed?

Whaddah ya say?  Want to do a little for your districts in time for the next elections?  Or is a little brown stuff on top of all the red stuff your idea of solving the problem? 


      
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